(OUTview NW) RE-view: Once a Star, Always a Star; Ms. Pak-man at Rebar is Brilliant!

It's WAR for Ms. Pak-Man & Blinky!

by MK Scott

Back in the day (OK, the 1980's) if you didn't own a Commodore (I did) or an Atari, you would spend hours at the video arcade playing Donkey Kong, Space Invaders and Pac-Man, but it was Ms. Pac-man that stayed around for nearly a decade.

So when I heard about a comedy/Drag Show called, Ms Pak-man: Bonus Stage coming to Seattle's Re-bar, I thought it would be a scream and it happening during PAX Weekend was an added Bonus. I,  at first thought, Great, a Dina Martina wannabe with a Yellow Face with a Bowl-shaped costume, but what I saw was the beginning of the next Seattle bred, Drag Super-star (After Robbie Turner,  of course)! 

Ms PK, Blinky and Clyde!                Photo: Maclaughlin

Played by actor, Scott Shoemaker, who has played both male and female characters in the Brown Derby Series,  this transformation was amazing and I was late to the party because his very successful show, “Ms Pak Man: Multiple Lives" played last summer when I was most likely out of town.

I hear "Ms Pak Man” was originally developed for a sketch show a couple years back where Shoemaker played the character as a washed up old hasbeen seeking a comeback. The character was so well received that the actor and his partner Freddy Molitch decided to create a “one woman” show built around the iconic character.

As I mentioned above I assumed this was a Dina Martina like show, that is definitely an inspiration, but what you also notice are shades of Jinkx Monsoon, Sylvia O'Stayformore, Jackie Beat, BenDelacreme, Kids in the Hall, etc.

Shomaker's vocal range and gift for 80's song parodies, like the 'The Summer of '98' were Brilliant!

The show was conceived and directed by Moltich and also features Backup singers, Erin Stewart and Amalia Larson.(as Ghosts, Blinky and Clyde).

One Hilarious parody was the Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks as the tune for "Stop Dragging My Heart Around"  was changed to "Stop Chasing my Ass". The feud between Ms. Pak-Man and Blinky was hysterical! Another golden moment was the tune of Ghostbusters with the lyrics to 'I want a new drug".

Look for moments of gulping vodka, white powder everywhere and a purse filled with pills.

Another highlight was puppeteers, Elizabeth Westerman and Dustin Curtis, assembling a giant Rubik's Cube on stage.

Schomaker has created a new original character and has long road of success, we just hope we don't have to wait a year for the next show!

This show has a little something for everyone! Video game geeks, drag / camp fans, 80s aficionados, comedy lovers and boozy theatre goers will all love this 8-bit diva’s antics!


The show runs Thursday through Saturday, this weekend  (Sept 3-5, 2015) with all shows starting at 8 pm. Re-bar is a 21+ venue! Click HERE for TIX!